Cementing device for well casings



April 4, 1939. R. c. BAKER 2,153,034

CEMENTING DEVICE FOR WELL CASINGS Filed Oct. 10, 1956- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1VINVENTOR.

BY wad/Mm ATTORNEY 4, R. c. CEMENTING DEVICE FOR WELL CASINGS Filed Oct.10, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I INVENTOR. 733% M ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 4,1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CEMENTING DEVICE FOR WELL OASINGSApplication October 10, 1936, Serial No. 105,042

10 Claims.

This invention relates to cementing devices for use in connection withdeep oil well casings.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide a simpleand efficient apparatus 5 ,p which may be fitted to an oil well casing,and which will not interfere with the delivery of circulating fluiddownwardly through the casing, but which will enable cementslurry to bedischarged at a desired point along the casing 10 through the sides ofthe latter at circumferentially spaced points and in a manner insuringproper distribution of the cement slurry around the casing.

The invention is exemplified in the following 5 description andillustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in central vertical section through a device embodyingthe invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the same 20 equipped with a screen andball valve.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line III-III of Fig. 1. l

Fig. 4 is a central vertical sectional view through a device embodyingthe invention and 25 fitted with a cementing port shield.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4 showing the manner in which theshield is removed from the cementing ports.

Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view through 30 the device taken online VI-VI 01' Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the shielddisclosed in Figs. 4 and 5.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings, I have thereillustrated a guiding 35 and cementing device for a well casing l whichincludes a casing shoe ll. Cast within this casing shoe is acementitious body l2 which is formed with a guide portion l4 extendingbeyond the lower end of the casing shoe II for guiding pur- 40 poses.

The cementitious body I2 is formed with a straight coaxial circulationpassageway l6 which extends longitudinally through the body l2, so thatcirculation may be established downwardly through the body. cementingpassageways ii are formed in the guide portion ll of the body I! andextend radially outward on a plane just below the lower terminal or theshoe II. The cementlng passageways it are curved as illustrated 0 inFigs. 3 and 6 and extend tangentially from the circulating passageway Iso as to give cement slurry discharging therethrough a whirling effectat the exterior of the shoe, so that it will be evenly distributedaround the pipe and eliminate any chance of channeling.

In the form of the device shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, thecirculating passageway I5 is restricted at its lower end to form aninterior annular shoulder forming a valve seat ll for a ball type ofvalve I8. This ball valve i8 is less in 5 diameter than the main portionof the circulating passageway IE, but is greater in diameter than thereduced portion of the passageway, so that it will seat on the seat II.In Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, the valve seat I! is shown as beingvertically 10 grooved as at is so that even when the ball I8 is seatedon the seat i'l, restricted circulation through the lower end of thebody I2 is permitted.

In Fig. 2 I-have shown a screen member 20 removably fitted to the upperend of the circulating passageway l5. It should be stated that somedifiiculty has. been experienced with this type of cementing device dueto foreign matter accumulating at the upper end of the passageway l5,and either entirely clogging the same or so materially reducing the areathereof that the cementing efliciency of the device is impaired. It isfor this reason that I may provide the screen member 20, and it ispreferably formed of such friable material as Bakelite or the like whichcan be readily drilled up and which will shatter when the cementing pluglands.

In the event that the ball I8 is to be positioned before the device isfitted to the casing" and lowered into the well, such a screen member 20can be employed and it should be stated that the combined area of theopenings through the screen member at least equals the cross sectionalarea of the circulating passageway Hi.

In the event that a ball such as i8 is to be positioned subsequently tothe time that the casing is placed in the well bore, obviously thescreenmember 20 cannot be employed. However, the screen membr 20 can beemployed as illustrated in Fig. 1 where no ball is to be em- 0 ployed.In this instance circulation can be established downwardly through theplug during the lowering of the easing into the well, and the cementingports I6 used for cementing if the lower end of the casing is positionedon bottom or seated on a shoulder such as occurs between the bore andthe rat hole.

In Figs. 4 to 7, inclusive, I have shown a shield member 22 for use inclosing the cementing passageways I8 during the period prior to thecementing operation. This shield 22 is sleevelike and its lower portionis formed of hard rubber, while its upper portion is formed of flexiblerubber. Projecting from the flexible portl 1n 0! the shield areprotrusions 23 fitting the inner ends of the cementing passageways wasillustrated in Fig. 4.

An interior annular shoulder 24 is provided adjacent the lower end ofthe shield to engage the ball l8 when it is pumped downwardly throughthe casing, so that movement of the ball downwardly will be accompaniedby contraction of the sleeve and the uncovering of the cementingpassageways l6 as illustrated in Fig. 5. Due to the flexible nature ofthe upper end of the shield, this can be readily accomplished. It willbe noted that there is a spacing between the lower end of the shieldwhen it is positioned to close the passageways l6 and the interiorannular shoulder 25 between the main portion of the circulatingpassageway i5 and the reduced lower portion thereof as illustrated.

In operation of the device, assuming that it is to be used asillustrated in Fig. 1, it is fitted to the casing and the casing islowered into the well bore. Upon encountering a bridge or for any otherreason it is desired to wash down, circulation may be establisheddirectly downwardly through the circulating passageway l5. When thecasing has been properly positioned and it is desired to cement, a ballvalve such as I8 is dropped in the casing and comes to rest on the seatI! so as to substantially close off circulation through the lower end ofthe circulating passageway l5. It does not entirely close oft thecirculation, however, as some circulation can be obtained through thegrooves I9. The cement is then forced downwardly through the casing andas it cannot pass through the lower end of the circulating passagewayl5, it will discharge outwardly through the cementing passageways l6.After the cement has set, the body I2 may be drilled out as in standardpractice.

If it is unnecessary to use a ball such as i8, as for example, when thecasing is to be seated on the shoulder at the top of the rat hole, a.

screen 20 may be fitted to the device as shown in broken lines in Fig. 1to insure that the upper end of the circulating passageway 15 will notbe clogged. The moment that the cementing plug lands on the top of thebody l2, it will crush and shatter the screen 20.

In Fig. 2 I have shown a device used with the ball positioned prior tothe insertion of the casing into the hole and in this instance thescreen 20 may be employed. The operation of the device is substantiallythe same as that shown in Fig. 1 with the exception that the ball I8 ispositioned in the device prior to the lowering of the easing into thewell bore.

When the device is equipped as shown in Figs. 4 to 6, inclusive, it islowered into the well bore in the condition as shown in Fig. 4, at whichtime the cementing passageways l6 will be closed by the shield 22. Thebottom of this shield, however, is open so that circulation can be haddownwardly through the circulating passageway l5. After the casing hasbeen properly positioned, the ball I8 is dropped in the casing and willengage the interior annular shoulder 24 in the shield 22, closing thelower end of the shield. By increasing the pressure in back of the ball,the shield will be collapsed to disengage the protrusions 23 thereoffrom the inner ends of the passageways l6 and move the shield downwardlyuntil it engages the shoulder 25, at which time the cementingpassageways 16 will be unobstructed. Also, the ball I 8 will combinewith the shield in closing the lower end of the circulating passageway[5 so that the cement will discharge outwardly through the cementingpaesageways l6.

As previously described, the passageways I8 are curved and extendtangentially from the circulating passageway l5 so that the cement willbe caused to swirl around the exterior of the pipe and insure evendistribution of the cement therearound.

In the present instance I have shown the invention as embodied in acasing shoe, but it is obvious that it has many useful characteristicswhen embodied in a casing collar for cementing at points intermediatethe ends of the casing, and I wish it understood that the featuresthereof may be so used as their adaptation to a collar is readilydiscernible to those skilled in the art.

From the foregoing it is obvious that I have provided a simple andinexpensive device which is extremely practical and which is capable ofuse as a plain guide and cementing shoe, or in connection with theshield and ball so that cementing through the radial passageways isinsured, while enabling a proper wash down action to be had during thelowering of the casing into the hole.

While I have shown the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is tobe understood that various changes may be made by those skilled in theart without departing from the spirit of.

the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

l. A device of the character described. comprising a casing shoe, 9.cementitious body cast therein and inseparably united therewith, saidbody having a guide portion extending beyond the lower end of said shoe,said body having an open-ended circulating passageway formed coaxiallytherethrough, said guide portion of the body having tangentiallyarranged radial cementing passageways formed therethrough and extendingoutwardly from said circulating passageway.

2. A device of the character described comprising a casing shoe, acementitious body cast therein and inseparably united therewith, saidbody having a guide portion extending beyond the lower end of. saidshoe, said body having an open-ended circulating passageway formedcoaxially therethrough, said guide portion of the body having curvedcementing passageways formed therethrough and extending on a planeperpendicular to said circulating passageway and extending substantiallytangentially from'said circulating passageway and below the shoe.

3. A device of the character described comprising a cylindrical member,a cementitious body cast therein and inseparably united therewith, saidbody having an open-ended circulating passageway formed coaxiallytherethrough, said body having curved cementing passageways formedtherethrough arranged on a plane perpendicular to said circulatingpassageway and extending substantially tangentially from saidcirculating passageway, said circulating passageway being reduced belowsaid cementing passageways to form a valve seat, and a valve member lessin diameter than said circulating passageway but greater in diameterthan the reduced portion of said circulating passageway so that it willseat on said seat.

4. A device of the character described comprising a casing shoe, acementitious body cast therein and inseparably united therewith, saidbody having a guide portion extending beyond the lower end of said shoe,said body having an open-ended circulating passageway formed 00--axially therethrough, said guide portion of the body having tangentiallyarranged radial cementing passageways formed therethrough and extendingoutwardly from said circulating passageway, and a screen member fittedto the body over the upper end of said circulating passageway.

5. A device of the character described comprising a casing shoe, acementitious body cast therein and inseparably united therewith, .saidbody having a guide portion extending beyond the lower end of said shoe,said body having an open-ended circulating passageway formed coaxiallytherethrough, said guide portion of, the body having curved cementingpassageways formed therethrough and extending on a plane perpendicularto said circulating passageway and extending substantially, tangentiallyfrom said circulating passageway and below the shoe, and a screen memberremovably fitted to the upper end of the body over the upper end of saidcirculating passageway.

6. A device of the character described comprising a casing shoe, acementitious body cast therein and inseparably united therewith, saidbody having a guide portion extending beyond the lower end of the shoe,said body having an open-ended circulating passageway formed coaxiallytherethrough, said guide portion of the body having curved andtangentially arranged cementing passageways formed therethrough fromsaid circulating passageway, said circulating passageway being reducedin diameter below said cementing passageways to form a valve seat. aball valve member less in diameter than said circulating passageway butgreater in diameter than the reduced portion of said circulatingpassageway whereby it will seat on said seat, and a screen member offragile material secured to the body over the upper end of saidcirculating passageway.

7. A device of the character described comprising a cylindrical memberadapted to be connected with a well casing, a body of cementitiousmaterial cast therein and inseparably united therewith, said body havinga centrally located and longitudinally extending circulating passageway,radial cementing passageways emanating therefrom and extending outwardlythrough said body, a ball moving vertically in said cir' culatingpassageway, a cylindrical shield member fitting within the passagewayand having protrusions fitting within the inner ends of said cementingpassageways, said shield being yieldable, means on said shield capableof. being engaged by said ball moving downwardly in said passageway,said shield yielding in response to movement of said ball downwardly todisengage said protrusions from said cementing passageways and to movesaid shield out of register therewith.

8. A device of the character described comprising a cylindrical memberadapted to be connected with a well casing, a body of. cementitiousmaterial cast therein and inseparably united therewith, said body havinga centrally located and longitudinally extending circulating passageway,radial cementing passageways emanating therefrom and extending outwardlythrough saidbody,'a ball moving vertically in said circulatingpassageway, a cylindrical shield member fitting within the passagewayand having protrusions fitting within the inner ends of said cementingpassageways, said shield being yieldable, means on said shield capableof being engaged by said ball moving downwardly in said passageway, saidshield yielding in response to movement of said ball downwardly todisengage said protrusions from said cementing passageways and to movesaid shield out of register therewith, and an annular shoulder formed insaid circulating passageway to arrest the downward movement of said balland shield.

9. A device of the character described comprising a tubular memberadapted to be connected with a well casing, a cementitious body casttherein and inseparably united therewith, said body having a passagewayformed centrally and longitudinally therethrough, an inverted convexscreen member of non-metallic friable but formsustaining material fixedto the body at the upper end of said passageway with its open baseunited with said body.

10. A device of the character described comprising a casing shoe, acementitious body cast therein and inseparably united therewith, saidbody having a guide portion extending beyond the lower end of the shoe,said body having an open-ended circulating passageway formed coaxiallytherethrough, a substantially cone-shaped screen member arranged attheupper end of said passageway with its open base united to said bodyat the upper extremity of said passageway.

REUBEN C. BAKER.

